Solutions Visuals — Climate Beacon Newsroom Initiative  2026-2027 Application

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The Solutions Journalism Network is accepting applications for the second round of its Solutions Visuals fellowship, part of the Climate Beacon Newsroom Initiative. Six U.S. based newsrooms will be selected to receive $10,000 and 12 months of training and mentorship in covering climate topics using visual mediums through a solutions lens. These newsrooms will work individually and collectively to transform their coverage of the climate crisis to highlight and explore solutions within their communities. In addition, SJN is partnering with Catchlight and Photoville to provide opportunities for the selected newsrooms to exhibit their work in spring 2027. 

Catchlight is a visual-first media organization that leverages the power of visual storytelling to inform, connect, and transform communities. Its live event and touring exhibition, CatchLight Live: Sharing What Matters, fosters community engagement in visual journalism, inviting local audiences to connect with powerful storytelling, share their perspectives, and participate in conversations that shape how their stories are seen and understood. 


Photoville is a New York-based nonprofit that works to promote a wider understanding of, and increased access to, the art of photography for all. Photoville produces an annual, city-wide photography festival in New York City, a range of free educational initiatives, and a nationwide program of public art exhibitions. Through creative partnerships with festivals, city agencies, and other nonprofit organizations, Photoville offers visual storytellers, educators, and students financial support, mentorship, and promotional & production resources, on a range of exhibition opportunities.


We encourage applicants to submit proposals on any visual medium, including photography, video, interactives, illustration, animation and others.

What we’re looking for:
  • Newsrooms committed to incorporating rigorous visual reporting on solutions that recognize the root causes and impacts of climate change and how that intersects with a variety of other issues, including health, economics, business, government, politics and civil society. 
  • An interest in experimenting with different visual mediums to tell solutions stories.
  • Commitment to monthly cohort meetings with other newsrooms and monthly coaching calls.
  • Willingness to engage in an “all teach, all learn” environment. While SJN will provide experienced trainers and leaders in the monthly meetings, we know that valuable insights and experience come from your fellow cohort members as well. We are looking for newsrooms that are excited to share what’s working (and what’s not) with others in the cohort and in our larger network.
  • Newsrooms committed to making the changes needed to incorporate solutions journalism into their regular workflow, and generally committed to producing visual climate solutions stories.
The minimum requirement is a willingness to learn about and practice solutions journalism — no previous practice is expected. Newsroom leaders and journalists must be willing to support and guide the production of solutions journalism and engage in ongoing learning throughout the grant period.

What your newsroom will receive:
  • A $10,000 grant 
  • 12 months of professional development (including 1-on-1 coaching and all-cohort trainings) for editors and journalists on: 
    • How to produce solutions journalism
    • How to cover climate topics through a solutions lens
    • How to cover and engage with your community differently
    • How to apply the solutions framework to visual storytelling
  • Support and coaching on how to apply the principles of solutions journalism to everyday visual stories through monthly cohort meetings and monthly 1:1 coaching calls
  • The opportunity to feature your work in Catchlight and/or Photoville exhibitions 
  • An opportunity to work within a cohort of other newsrooms covering climate topics visually
  • Qualifying stories shared in SJN’s Solutions Journalism Story tracker (and possibly other outlets)
  • Invitation to join SJN’s Climate Peer Network, creating a natural pathway for continued peer mentorship once the program concludes

The deadline for applications is April 24, 2026. 

SJN will host an informational “Ask Me Anything” session on Tuesday, April 14 to answer questions from potential applicants. Join us on Zoom at noon ET that day. Register in advance for this meeting.

Can’t make it? Register anyway, and we’ll send you a recording.

If you have questions about the initiative or application, please reach out to Angela (angela@solutionsjournalism.org).

If you need technical support with submitting this application, including recovering a saved draft, please email Kristen Merritt (kristen@solutionsjournalism.org) 

We look forward to your innovative proposals that will shape the future of climate visual storytelling!

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The Solutions Journalism Network is a 501(c)3 organization. Our policy on our grant funds is that they may only be used for the direct costs of the approved project. No portion of the grant funds be used for overhead costs.


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